OSHA Inspection: FROM THE FOREST, LLC

Issued

Mar 23, 2020

Abate by

Nov 20, 2020

Penalty

Initial $7,422 · Current $3,711 Reduced

Hazardous substances M102

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which was free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees working near two indoor enclosureless dust collectors handling combustible wood dust generated by several upstream processes were exposed to wood dust fire hazards presented by the two indoor enclosureless dust collection systems and their associated upstream equipment:    An indoor enclosureless bag separator (Extrema) with positive pressure air-material inlet and 36 unenclosed dust filter bags feeding four drums was used to collect combustible wood dust fines from a Timesavers Speedbelt Sander (Model 3321-43-00). The enclosureless collector was used to collect wood dust from equipment recognized as being capable of producing frequent sparks, was located near a means of egress. Employees were exposed to combustible wood dust fire hazards including flame and hazardous byproducts (smoke, toxic gases, etc.) resulting from this indoor collection system setup.

Issued

Mar 23, 2020

Abate by

Apr 29, 2020

Penalty

Initial $10,390 · Current $5,195 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i):  Procedures shall be developed, documented and utilized for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees are engaged in the activities covered by this section:    At a From the Forest LLC facility located at 7005 Rickyval Street, Weston, WI 54476; the employer did not develop machine specific procedures for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees engaged in servicing and maintenance activities on the TimeSavers (M#3321-43-00) wide belt sander. The TimeSavers sander was powered by electrical and pneumatic energy sources.

Issued

Mar 23, 2020

Abate by

Apr 29, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(7)(i)(A): Each authorized employee shall receive training in the recognition of applicable hazardous energy sources, the type and magnitude of the energy available in the workplace, and the methods and means necessary for energy isolation and control.  At a From the Forest, LLC facility located at 7005 Rickyval Street, Weston, WI 54476; the employer did not ensure employees who were authorized to conduct servicing and maintenance on powered equipment were trained to recognize hazardous energy sources, the types and magnitude of the energy available in the workplace, and the methods and means necessary for energy isolation and control. A Sander Operator opened a side panel to clean the sander (TimeSavers M#3321-43-00) while moving parts inside the sander were still winding down. The Sander Operator did not apply any energy isolation methods.

Issued

Mar 23, 2020

Abate by

Apr 29, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(d): Application of control. The established procedures for the application of energy control (the lockout or tagout procedures) shall cover the following elements and actions and shall be done in the following sequence:  Employees at a From the Forest LLC facility located at 7005 Rickyval Street, Weston, WI 54476; were exposed to machine ingoing nip point hazards associated with moving parts when they engaged in servicing and maintenance activities on the TimeSavers (M#3321-43-00) wide belt sander. The employer did not ensure that energy control application steps to control the electrical and pneumatic energy sources were implemented prior to allowing employees to open the sander's cabinet and blow down wood dust inside the aforementioned equipment. The machines were not isolated or locked out prior to engaging in this servicing and maintenance activity.  As a result, the remaining applicable energy control elements, involving preparation for shutdown [1910.147(d)(1), machine isolation [1910.147(d)(3)], lockout/tagout device application [1910.147(d)(4)], dissipation of residual energy [1910.147(d)(5)(i)], and verification of isolation [1910.147(d)(6)] were not implemented to protect employees from machine servicing hazards.

Issued

Mar 23, 2020

Penalty

Initial $5,047 · Current $2,523 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(a)(2)(x):  Flexible cords and cables shall be protected from accidental damage, as might be caused, for example, by sharp corners, projections, and doorways or other pinch points:    At a From the Forest LLC facility located at 7005 Rickyval Street, Weston, WI 54476; the flexible cord used to power the lifting table at the Putty work station, was not protected from accidental damage. The flexible cord's outer insulation had been damaged where it crossed the metal frame of the table where it was exposed to sharp corners, pinch points, and abrasion.